Joe Soriano
O.J. LewisAlmost Impossible
June 8th 2009 03:02
So just by coincidence it turns out that my brother was looking for a good movie to watch the other night with his wife and he asked for my input. Of course I recommended "For Love of the Game". I mentioned that it was with Kevin Costner and we had a laugh because we both know how many baseball movies he has done. We are actually waiting for him and Dennis Quaid to make a movie together.
Anyway, any time I think of this movie I get a smile on my face because I really think it was done right. It is truly the kind of movie you can get away with bringing home from the rental store and telling your wife, "Hun, I got it because it's a love story." But more then that for anyone that is a baseball fan, and I mean a true baseball fan, not someone who tunes in only if his team is in the playoffs, there is a purity and almost sacred quality to what happens in a perfect game.
"For Love of the Game" captures all of what goes on in a moment like that, from the screaming and booing fans, to the impossible play being made in the field. Doesn't it always seem that whenever a perfect game or even a no-hitter is thrown there is one or two amazing plays in that save it for the pitcher? John Sterling said it best when David Cone pitched his perfect game; it is "baseball immortality".
My favorite part of the movie is when Billy Chapel’s catcher comes out to the mound as he realizes he is pitching a perfect game. It's got to be one of the best pep talks ever, at least to me. I don't remember exactly what he said but it was something like this, "We don't suck today. Today we are the best team in baseball." He said it to let his buddy know that no matter what we are not going to let you down. We know what this means and we know what it means to you.
The fact that it turns out to be Chapel's last game makes it that much more special and of course it is a bit far fetched but to be perfectly honest, I think it could be possible, highly improbable yes, but possible. And isn't that what makes a great sports movie, the fact that it gives you hope that one day the almost impossible might happen.
Anyway, any time I think of this movie I get a smile on my face because I really think it was done right. It is truly the kind of movie you can get away with bringing home from the rental store and telling your wife, "Hun, I got it because it's a love story." But more then that for anyone that is a baseball fan, and I mean a true baseball fan, not someone who tunes in only if his team is in the playoffs, there is a purity and almost sacred quality to what happens in a perfect game.
My favorite part of the movie is when Billy Chapel’s catcher comes out to the mound as he realizes he is pitching a perfect game. It's got to be one of the best pep talks ever, at least to me. I don't remember exactly what he said but it was something like this, "We don't suck today. Today we are the best team in baseball." He said it to let his buddy know that no matter what we are not going to let you down. We know what this means and we know what it means to you.
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